Setting Water Quality Standard: A Strategy to Improve the Quality of Drinking Water in Developing Countries

Abstract

Clean drinking water has been identified as the most important factor affecting human health. The main source to control healthy drinking water is the "water quality standard" reports. Due to the fact that each country has its own economic resources, technology, and water characteristics, preparing separate water quality standards are of necessity. This article contains guidelines for the preparation of drinking water quality standards in developing countries. The most important strategies on the field are: laying rules in order to formulate a standard, development of strategies to recognize desired parameter, sampling and monitoring programs, as well as how to apply the standards which are included in the study. Finally, a comparative analysis of water quality standards in a developing country is compared to the standards provided by the World Health Organization and the Environmental Protection Agency.

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